Info. request: Royal Norwegian Army field uniform

[retrobob]

I'm after two items of vintage Royal Norwegian Army field gear: 1) the olive green M1951 field cap('feltlue') with the white,blue,red national cockade(as opposed to the embroidered RNoA insignia) and, 2) the small green canvas RNoA 'day pack' with grey leather straps.
Both items, I belive date, back to the 1950's or 60's.The field cap now worn is
a much greener shade and is no longer worn with the cockade.Any idea when the RNoA switched to the embroidered insignia and why?

I'd appreciate any pointers as to where I could possibly obtain these items.

Thanks

[OldRecon]

I'm after two items of vintage Royal Norwegian Army field gear: 1) the olive green M1951 field cap('feltlue') with the white,blue,red national cockade(as opposed to the embroidered RNoA insignia) and, 2) the small green canvas RNoA 'day pack' with grey leather straps.
Both items, I belive date, back to the 1950's or 60's.The field cap now worn is
a much greener shade and is no longer worn with the cockade.Any idea when the RNoA switched to the embroidered insignia and why?

I'd appreciate any pointers as to where I could possibly obtain these items.

Thanks

The field cap dates to 1951.
The round cockade national insignia was changed some time during the first half to mid 1980's.
My guess it was changed around 1983-85 to the royal coat of arms in white tread along with several other changes in details of uniform like the introduction of the high ankle field boots and new combined working/parade/leave uniform.
I guess the colour of the cap changed at the same time as the cloth used has the same colour as the field trousers (m-75) also introduced during the early-mid 1980's.
As for the reason behind the change from cockade to royal coat of arms, during my tenure in the army during the late 1980's rumour would have it that the then chief of defence Gen. Bull-Hansen felt the round cockade made too tempting an aiming mark.
The roayl coat of arms in white tread was later changed from white to Black. Possibly during the 1990's with the replacement of the HRH Olav V coat of arms symbol with the new coat of arm of HRH King Harald V upon the death of HRH Olav V on the 17. of January 1991.

As for what you call "day pack", but which in Norwegian parlance is designated as the "combat pack" (Norwegian: stridssekk), I'm even less sure about the historical details, though I think this was also introduced with the other elements of the M51 field uniform in the early 1950's.

2nd hand examples of the field cap can be bought online here:

http://www.forsvarsbrukt.no/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=83&cat=HODEPLAGG-LUER

and same for the combat pack here:

http://www.forsvarsbrukt.no/shopdisplayproducts.asp?parentid=85&id=64&cat=SEKKER%2DRYGGSEKK

And not to forget the ubiquitos tent stakes :lol: which can be bought here:

http://www.forsvarsbrukt.no/shopexd.asp?id=375

Be sure that you also get a pair of the wooden "candle sticks" (tent stakes - surely among the most useless items ever acquired by the army :lol: ) along with the combat pack (there are 2 tent stake holder integrated into pack) ;).
For more precise details I suggest you contact the The Norwegian Armed Forces Museum http://www.mil.no/felles/fmu/start/museet/English/ e-mail: fmu.kontakt@mil.no.

[retrobob]

Excellent! They've got everything I wanted.Just hope they ship overseas.

Also, I've seem some photos from the late 60's of some RNoA soldiers wearing on their field caps a 'ribbon and button' device suspended from the cockade,what is that?
Many Thanks.

Retrobob